The Rock
by Soul of Horus
Summary: Eris Morn gets wind of Cayde-6's death. She must pay her respects.


Inspired by a twitter post, PM me if you're interested to the original thread. FF doesnt like links apparently. This work is based purely on inspiration. Thank you

My reaction to the post: Ease_ up on my feels next time. Also, I may or may not expand on the little dialogue that was there._

_..._

The death of Cayde-6, the Hunter Vanguard is something that cannot be put into words. For most, he was the Exo who could roll out jokes like he was printing Glimmer. For seldom, they knew who the Guardian who could get serious and still find a way to crack a joke. Okay, everyone knew Cayde's a jokester.

To now say to those people that the spark in Cayde has died out, made morale around the Tower plummet to an all-time low. Lower than the morale during the Red War. Losing a Guardian is tough, but losing a Guardian who was as old as _Cayde_… it scars a person.

It once again puts the perspective of Guardians are _not_ immortal, just like Eris' fireteam who went down into the pits of the moon to face Crota, Son of Oryx. It was proven in the Vault of Glass when Pahanin, Kabr, and Praedyth entered and only one returned. The point was proven in the Red War. Eris knew of this pain. The pain of losing your closest friends, companions, ones they could call 'family'.

Eris Morn, the one who survived for years in the darkness of the Moon's catacombs, had not heard of his death until months after. No one had bothered to inform her of his passing, they were too grief-stricken to even reach out. They had every right to not contact her. Eris left the Tower without a word when the City fell to the Red Legion.

She had tried to keep tabs on the City, but from where she was and what she was doing, could not, under any circumstance, be found out. All of this had to be kept a secret. That doesn't mean she doesn't reminisce on the memories before she left.

That doesn't mean she didn't care at all… No, quite the opposite. She cared for their lives, not the person themselves. Everyone in their world today has the opportunity to live, grow up, and love. Eris did not feel any attachment to anyone except to those in her fireteam. She still hears the whispers from deep below, their chittering and eerie moans and groans. They have been quiet for quite some time now, after the Baron's defeat.

The Guardian responsible for the slaughter of the Barons, needless to say, fulfilled their bloodlust in order to avenge Cayde. This Hunter was his second in Command, Eris' sources tell her, and he didn't stop until he was confronted by two other Guardians. Ones that the Guardian knew, and that they knew this particular Guardian would act this way.

Of course, it was a Hunter who did so, do you think a Titan or a Warlock would avenge a Vanguard that was not their own? Silly peasants. That does not mean the mass of Guardians had a spot for the Exo. Everyone tolerated Cayde, some more than tolerate, but nevertheless, he was tolerated.

Eris did owe him her respects, as he was there when she crawled out of the pit and was brought back to the Tower. Cayde recognized her immediately and no matter how many times she tried to turn him away, he refused, the stubborn old Exo he was. He would always say, "No can do Eris, I care about my own, and that includes you too."

Eris allowed a faint smile to grace her facial features. No matter what, that statement was one of, if not the only, reason she stayed. She enjoyed making the Hunter Vanguard worrying about her, in truth she was better than when she went down into that pit.

Eris decided that it was time to visit the Tower and finally pay her respects to Cayde-6 and his Ghost. His Ghost was one that liked the flashy items. Never one for dull, but that Ghost was like a mother hen to the rest of her brother and sister Ghosts.

The only problem with sneaking in... was she was not allowed to get caught…

When she arrived at the Tower, on foot, sneaking through the City streets, she was determined to do what she came here to do. Her cargo secured inside the many pouches adorning her person. She managed to make it to the top floor where it seems that nobody was there. That doesn't mean there were people lurking in the shadows of the buildings. They very well could be.

Passing the rooms where Banshee's stockpile of weapon parts and other trinkets, she moved onto the room and place she came for. Cayde's final resting place.

Eris took in the details of the open ceiling, covered in clear glass. All the flowers and little mementos that other Hunters, and by extension Warlocks and Titans, must have left. The flowers were, of course, dead, but the trinkets and little pieces left behind were all something Cayde-6 had seen at least once.

On his grave, there was a small glass case. This glass case held the Ace of Spades. Cayde-6's favorite weapon. The number of times Eris would glance up and see Cayde twirling that possession of his around, while in the middle of a Vanguard meeting was too many to count. The Guardian must have repaired it and left it with Cayde as a final goodbye. Eris had something else in mind.

It was quite heavy while it rested in her pack. She stepped over to the side of Cayde's grave and looked down at it, seeing the years he was alive for and it was quite a while. Longer than the average Guardian's lifetime, by a few hundred years or so.

Cayde had made a comment back when the King arrived in the Solar system, "Eris…" He said, "Get your rock… off my map."

Well, Eris has a good sense of humor. She managed to bring a map, a replica of the map her 'rock' was on and an actual rock. The rock has Cayde's signature spade on it, along with words that only Eris knew the meaning of.

She stood up and looked down at the grave once more, "I may not have _liked_ you…" Eris closed her eyes and took a deep breath, calming her sudden wave of nerves, "but I _respected_ you."

Eris took multiple steps back, "Rest easy, old friend. May your Traveler keep you at peace." With that, Eris left the Tower as fast as she came. She couldn't stay long anyway, there was work to be done.

...

No one knew who had put the new additions to Cayde's grave, but Zavala and Ikora had a sneaking suspicion when they saw a rock on top of a map. The two remaining Vanguard said their respects and left the site, leaving Eris' respects untouched.


End file.
